“In our eras of greatness, when West Indies took the field, ghostly presences walked with the players, representing commitment to a higher cause, loyalty to the proudest of traditions and attachment to a long line of heroes—and the twelfth man in the team always answered to the name of courage.” …

When was the last time you looked at a map of our planet? After reading Gwynne Dyer’s column in last Wednesday’s Express, Routine Rockets, I pulled out an old printed atlas to get a good look at the groupings of the countries. Somehow Google maps did not feel appropriate. Dyer …

I’d wanted to return to the relationship between marketing and the choices we make, a subject I’ve often visited. This column of five years ago contained the points I wanted to make; worth repeating as a reminder. Many of us are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. You know, incorporating …

What is a Crixism? That was the latest campaign for Crix, regional stalwart for a hundred years, according to its manufacturers, Bermudez Biscuit Company. In its first appearance, it was simply called salt biscuits. I remember my paternal grandfather, who squatted on the chair that was part of a beautifully …

One of the characters in a tele­vision series I looked at recently is going through one of those existential crises, questioning his meaning and relevance to the world he inhabits. As he lowers himself into the abyss of despair, he asks: “Who am I to my history?” Examining his life …

It was tempting to write a headline that said 12 days of pepperpot, but I cannot tell a lie. The pepperpot that has been sitting sturdily on my stovetop has been only going for 11 days. It is the remnants of the excursion into learning how to make the dish …

Of the many responses that came my way about how much Scrunter is beloved, this one was particularly striking: “Scrunter is my favourite! His songs have been playing on loop for me too all month! Pic hijab-wearing moi jamming to ‘Ah want a piece of pork’! There is no Christmas …

I’ve been on a Scrunter loop, studying lyrics, music, the melodies, the distinctive raspiness of his voice—and it made me want to pay tribute to this one of our outstanding West Indians. I’d interviewed him way back in 1998, and the article said much of what I wanted to say …

Last year, sensing that the Christmas season might be the last one where all the family would be in one place, I got a bit carried away. Abandoning prudence, I declared an open house and set about cooking on an unprecedented scale. In advance, I made more than 200 pastelles …

A friend sent me an email a few days ago, asking if I was okay because my recent columns had a “dark tinge” and he wondered what was up. It is true that I have been irate and have been complaining mainly about poor service, callous politicians and the gloomy …

Last Monday, the international community observed World Children’s Day; the theme: “For Every Child, Every Right”. The day has been marked on 20 November since 1954, for nearly 70 years. Looking at the rather superficial statements on its behalf in our space, I wondered if we ever stop to think …

From the time I heard the news reports about the 300 cruise-ship passengers being stranded without tour transport in Tobago because the maxi-taxi operators failed to show up, something seemed fishy. The explanation given by presi­dent of the Tobago Maxi Taxi Association Cloyd Williams was that it was a combination …